1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to laundry washing machines and in particular to laundry washing machines which include a horizontal load enclosing drum where access to the drum is provided through the side thereof
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known that horizontal axis laundry washing machines have a lower water use in their standard operating mode than vertical axis washing machines in their standard operating mode. It is also well known that there are significant ergonomic advantages with a washing machine which is loaded from above Attempts have been made to provide access to horizontal access laundry machine drums using a hatch in the top face of a cabinet, and a corresponding hatch access through the drum of the machine. Machines of this type are well known for the difficulty to the user in revolving the fully laden drum to a position where the two hatches are in registration and due to the hazardous nature of the generally spring loaded hatch opening in the drum. Furthermore the provision of a hatch in the drum results in a significant reduction in the strength of the drum and a consequent reduction in the ultimate spin speed which can be safely achieved. A lower spin speed leaves more liquid in the clothes load and consequently increases the drying time, and if using a clothes dryer, power consumption.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a laundry machine and/or a drum for a laundry machine and/or associated methods of operation of a laundry machine which goes some way towards overcoming the above disadvantages or will at least provide the public with a usefull choice.
In a first aspect the invention may broadly be said to include a method of operating a horizontal axis laundry machine through a drum opening operation, the laundry machine including a cabinet, a drum mounted in the cabinet and having a drum skin comprising a cover section and a remainder, an edge of the cover section connected to an edge of the remainder by an interengaging latch member, the method comprising rotating the drum until the drum skin is in a first set position relative to the cabinet, engaging a cover section of the drum skin to retain the position thereof relative to the cabinet while engaged, sliding the latch member to release the cover section edge from the remaining drum section edge rotating the drum to a second set position with the cover section engaged to leave an opening into the drum, and allowing opening of the cabinet to provide access to the opening.
In a second aspect the invention may broadly be said to include a method of operating a horizontal axis laundry machine including a cabinet, a drum mounted in the cabinet (and a hingingly supported laundry guide flap), the drum having a drum skin comprising a cover section and a remainder, the method including the steps of:
rotating the drum until the drum skin is in a first set position relative to the cabinet, engaging a cover section of the drum skin to retain the position thereof relative to the cabinet while engaged, rotating the drum to a second set position with the cover section engaged to leave an opening into the drum, hinging the laundry guide flap to a position inhibiting access between the drum and the cabinet adjacent the opening, and allowing opening of the cabinet to provide access to the opening.
To those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The disclosures and the descriptions herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.